LEXINGTON - Kentucky football opens a new chapter today, and the spotlight is fixed squarely on Will Stein.
For the first time in more than a dozen years, someone other than Mark Stoops is leading the Wildcats. Stoops, before his firing at the end of last season, had become the SEC’s longest-tenured active coach and left as the winningest coach in Kentucky history. That makes this a meaningful debut, but Stein has made it clear he’s not trying to let the moment pull him off course.
He knows what this program means, too. Stein grew up a Kentucky fan. Still, he says he wants emotion kept in check once the game starts.
"I'm doing my best to take any emotion out of it, because emotions get you beat. You ride the waves -you go up, down.
We talked to our team about being the thermostat, not the thermometer. Not reacting to when things are good or when things are bad.
Like, setting the temperature.
"That's all I'm focused on right now."
Kentucky hosts Youngstown State at Kroger Field in the season opener, with the Wildcats looking to start the Stein era on the right foot.
One of the other major pregame questions involves linebacker Alex Afari. After the Kentucky Court of Appeals denied the NCAA's request to stay a temporary restraining order on Friday, Sept. 4, it opened the door for Afari to play in the opener. Whether he actually gets on the field, though, remains in Stein’s hands.
"That'll be a Will Stein decision on whether he plays or not," Kentucky athletics director J Batt said Saturday morning during an interview on the Kentucky Sports Radio Pregame Show. "We will see out there, but he is rostered for today."
Afari has been a steady presence for Kentucky over the last four seasons, appearing in 48 games from 2022-25 and making 31 starts. His college résumé includes 193 tackles, 26.5 for loss, six sacks, three pass breakups, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
There is one notable absence for the Wildcats as they get ready for kickoff: running back Jovantae Barnes. Stein said Barnes, who dealt with injuries throughout his career at Oklahoma, was injured again during spring practice and will not be available against the Penguins.
Today’s game is set for Saturday, Sept. 5 at 1 p.m. ET.
The matchup will not be on a traditional television channel. Instead, it will stream on SEC Network+, the digital platform tied to the ESPN family. Authenticated subscribers can watch through TV-connected devices, WatchESPN.com, the WatchESPN app or ESPN+.
Ryan Black of The Courier Journal picked Kentucky to win 63-10.
Kentucky’s 2026 schedule begins with Youngstown State today and continues with Alabama on Sept. 12 at 3:30 p.m. on ABC, Texas A&M on Sept. 19 at 7:30 p.m. on ESPNU, and South Alabama on Sept. 26 at 12:45 p.m. on SEC Network. The rest of the slate includes at South Carolina on Oct.
3, LSU on Oct. 10, at Oklahoma on Oct. 17, Vanderbilt on Oct. 24, at Tennessee on Nov.
7, Florida on Nov. 14, at Missouri on Nov. 21 and Louisville on Nov. 28.
In Other News...
Kentucky Just Got Alex Afari Back But One Question Remains
Alex Afari is back on Kentuckys roster for the 2026 season opener, a notable development for a veteran linebacker whose status had been caught up in the NCAAs new five-year eligibility system. The Jefferson County judges decision to deny the NCAAs appeal of a temporary restraining order cleared the way for Afari to be added officially, and Kentucky listed him on the roster with No. 9 after he spent four seasons in Lexington.
For the Wildcats, the immediate significance is simple: a familiar defender is available again as the program navigates the ripple effects of the eligibility changes and the lawsuits attached to them. Afaris return gives Kentucky another experienced piece on defense, even as the broader question around how these cases are ultimately resolved still hangs over players who are trying to get one more season on the field. [Read more 🡒]
Kentuckys New Offense Just Gave Fans A Reason To Believe
Will Steins first Kentucky offense did what every new coaching staff wants to do on opening night: it looked organized, quick and in control right away. Against Youngstown State, the Wildcats opened with a crisp first drive that moved at a fast pace and showed an efficiency this fan base has been waiting to see, with the new system giving the offense an immediate sense of purpose.
Kenny Minchey handled the start cleanly and kept the drive on schedule, while the ground game finished the job in the red zone. The sequence ended with CJ Baxter punching in the score, and for a program trying to build confidence under a new head coach, the opener offered an early sign that the offense may have more rhythm than Kentucky has shown in recent years. [Read more 🡒]
Kentuckys Opener Sparked A Debate Fans Didnt Expect So Soon
Kentuckys opener against Youngstown State offered the kind of early-season evidence coaches love: a lopsided win, a sharp-looking offense and clear signs that Will Steins first game as head coach came with a plan that held up after halftime. The Wildcats rolled to a 45-13 victory, and Kenny Minchey helped steady the offense with 301 passing yards and four touchdowns while Kentucky made the adjustments needed to separate after the break.
Still, the performance also left room for the sort of debate that tends to follow a season opener, especially when a quarterback posts that kind of line and the opposing defense spends much of the night trying to survive. Youngstown State moved the ball some through the air, but Kentuckys ability to keep control of the game and finish with authority is what will linger for fans now, even as the bigger questions about how Stein wants this offense to look keep building behind the result. [Read more 🡒]